ROURKELA: Intensifying their protest against the proposed Ib irrigation project at Katangidihi between the Jugijugen hills, villagers of Subdega and Balishankara blocks in Talsara staged demonstration at Sundargarh town on Friday.
The protesters under the banner of Jugijugen Bandha Sangram Samiti (JBSS) marched in a procession and laid siege to the office of the superintending engineer (SE), Ib Irrigation Division at Sundargarh town for two hours. They accused the SE of misleading villagers and submitting wrong reports to the government to push for the project at Katangidihi.
The irate villagers said the dam project at Katangidihi in Subdega block would lead to submergence of around 30 villages and affect more than 40,000 residents. The agitators demanded shifting of the project to Telijore in Balishankara block, about 10 km upstream from Katingidihi, which they said would affect only three villages.
JBSS leader Panchanan Naik alleged that though the administration was denying any progress on the project, major survey works have been completed. Around `2.46 crore of the total sanctioned survey fund of `5.01 crore has been reportedly spent so far.
Naik further said a panel of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal had visited Katangidihi in March 2023 to review the proposal. He accused the SE of not apprising the Tribunal about the demand of villagers.
He also claimed on July 20, Talsara MLA and deputy Speaker BS Bhoi had written a letter to the government stating that the survey was in violation of the PESA Act as consent of the villagers was not taken.
Later in the day, the agitators submitted a memorandum to the Sundargarh ADM (revenue) in support of their demand to shift the proposed project from Katangidihi to Telijore.